At the end of World War II, Tiki drinks offered escapism in a glass to war-weary customers. These elaborate rum-based cocktails were served in ornate ceramic mugs full of fruit juices and topped with opulent garnishes, like an ersatz emotional bomb shelter. Drinkers embraced a romanticized version of Polynesia, which included thatched-roof bars, faux Tiki statues and the Mai Tai.

After years of great debate over the Mai Tai’s provenance, a 1970 court declared Victor Bergeron, known as “Trader Vic,” the sole inventor. Bergeron had opened his Tiki-themed restaurant in Oakland, California in 1934, riding the Tiki boom with successful franchises through the ’50s and ’60s heyday. Legend holds that he named the Mai Tai after serving his brainchild to Tahitian guests, who excla

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